Sheet transfer device

Abstract

A first sheet transfer guide plate includes a first divided sheet guide plate and a second divided sheet guide plate separable from each other. The first divided sheet guide plate is capable of being drawn out or pushed in relative to the second sheet transfer guide plate in a sheet width direction. The first divided sheet guide plate and the second divided sheet guide plate are separable from each other by a draw-out operation or a push-in operation of the first divided sheet guide plate. The first divided sheet guide plate is configured to release nipping of a sheet by paired sheet transfer rollers corresponding to the first divided sheet guide plate, along with the draw-out operation or the push-in operation of the first divided sheet guide plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sheet transfer device comprising:
 a sheet transfer unit including a plurality of paired sheet transfer rollers arranged along a sheet transfer route, and configured to transfer a sheet in a sheet transfer direction while nipping the sheet between each of the plurality of paired sheet transfer rollers; and 
 first and second sheet transfer guide plates arranged along the sheet transfer route to face each other and configured to guide the sheet transferred by the sheet transfer unit, wherein 
 the first sheet transfer guide plate includes a first divided sheet guide plate and a second divided sheet guide plate separably connected to each other at a dividing line extending along the sheet transfer direction, 
 the first divided sheet guide plate is configured to be either drawn out or pushed in relative to the second sheet transfer guide plate in a sheet width direction orthogonal to the sheet transfer direction, 
 the first divided sheet guide plate and the second divided sheet guide plate are separable from each other by one of a draw-out operation or a push-in operation of the first divided sheet guide plate, and 
 the first divided sheet guide plate is configured to release nipping of the sheet by the paired sheet transfer rollers corresponding to the first divided sheet guide plate, during one of the draw-out operation or the push-in operation of the first divided sheet guide plate. 
 
     
     
       2. The sheet transfer device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first sheet transfer guide plate is configured to release nipping of the sheet by the paired sheet transfer rollers corresponding to the second divided sheet guide plate, during one of the draw-out operation or the push-in operation of the first divided sheet guide plate. 
     
     
       3. The sheet transfer device according to  claim 1 , wherein a separation position of the first divided sheet guide plate and the second divided sheet guide plate is one of located between an end portion of a smallest sheet in a draw-out direction of the first divided sheet guide plate and a center line of the smallest sheet in a width direction of the smallest sheet, or located on the center line of the smallest sheet in the width direction, the smallest sheet being a sheet of a smallest size among sheets of differing sizes to be transferred along the sheet transfer route. 
     
     
       4. A sheet transfer device comprising:
 a sheet transfer unit including a plurality of paired sheet transfer rollers arranged along a sheet transfer route, and configured to transfer a sheet in a sheet transfer direction while nipping the sheet between each of the plurality of paired sheet transfer rollers; and 
 first and second sheet transfer guide plates arranged along the sheet transfer route to face each other and configured to guide the sheet transferred by the sheet transfer unit, wherein 
 the first sheet transfer guide plate includes a first divided sheet guide plate and a second divided sheet guide plate separably connected to each other, 
 the first divided sheet guide plate is configured to be either drawn out or pushed in relative to the second sheet transfer guide plate in a sheet width direction orthogonal to the sheet transfer direction, 
 the first divided sheet guide plate and the second divided sheet guide plate are separable from each other by one of a draw-out operation or a push-in operation of the first divided sheet guide plate, and 
 the first divided sheet guide plate is configured to release nipping of the sheet by the paired sheet transfer rollers corresponding to the first divided sheet guide plate, during one of the draw-out operation or the push-in operation of the first divided sheet guide plate, 
 wherein the first divided sheet guide plate includes a flange and the second divided sheet guide plate includes a rib, and the flange and the rib are separably connected to each other between the first and second divided sheet guide plates, and 
 when the first divided sheet guide plate is drawn out the flange is separated from the rib, and when the first divided sheet guide plate is pushed in the flange and the rib are connected. 
 
     
     
       5. The sheet transfer device according to  claim 4 , wherein the first sheet transfer guide plate is configured to release nipping of the sheet by the paired sheet transfer rollers corresponding to the second divided sheet guide plate, during one of the draw-out operation or the push-in operation of the first divided sheet guide plate. 
     
     
       6. The sheet transfer device according to  claim 4 , wherein a separation position of the first divided sheet guide plate and the second divided sheet guide plate is one of located between an end portion of a smallest sheet in a draw-out direction of the first divided sheet guide plate and a center line of the smallest sheet in a width direction of the smallest sheet, or located on the center line of the smallest sheet in the width direction, the smallest sheet being a sheet of a smallest size among sheets of differing sizes to be transferred along the sheet transfer route.